Zaw Aye Maung, the Yangon region Ethnic Rakhine Affairs Minister, said on August 18 that he would garner support to table the ‘Myanmar Natural Resources Allocation Bill’ in the Parliament. The bill seeks to allocate shares for ethnic people from production and proceeds of natural resources extracted in collaboration with foreign and domestic companies.

The pressing of a button, fireworks and cheers welcomed the turning on of a project that has dramatic significance for China.

The Myanmar section of the Myanmar-China natural gas pipeline, co-invested by six parties from four countries including China, Myanmar, South Korea and India, was inaugurated in Mandalay July 28 and started to deliver gas to China. At about 4 pm local time, Myanmar Vice President Nyan Tun, Energy Ministers Than Htay and Zeya Aung, Chinese Ambassador to Myanmar Yang Houlan and a South Korean representative jointly pressed the commissioning button. When torches flamed in the sky at Namkham Measuring Station of Myanmar-China Gas Pipeline, a storm of applause and cheers broke out on the ceremony site and Namkham Metering Station.

U Kyaw Nyein, the Chin State Minister of Forestry and Mines told Mizzima that a proposal seeking mining work permits in Chin State will be submitted to the Union Government.

The state government together with private companies have discovered the presence of metals in 9 townships of Chin State. Thereafter, a proposal for work permits were submitted to Union Government in early 2013. However, no response has been received till date. They will re-apply for the work permits.

The state-run Newspaper New Light of Myanmar reported that Government will allocate only 20 million cubic feet of natural gas per day to Kyauk Phyu in Rakhine State. On completion, the Kyauk Phyu-Kunming natural gas pipeline will transport a total of 500 million cubic feet of gas per day. 400 million cubic feet will be delivered to China and only 100 million cubic feet will be reserved for local use.

Despite an amended agreement allocating the company a lower percentage of mining profits, Wanbao’s general manager in Myanmar Geng Yi said that the Chinese firm will double its investment on the project to a sum of up to US$997 million.

“We have invested $600 million to date,” he said, “and we will up to $997 million.”

A Myanmar-China natural gas pipeline (Myanmar section), co-invested by six parties from four countries including China, Myanmar, South Korea and India, was inaugurated in northern Myanmar's Mandalay on Sunday and started to deliver gas to China.

At about 4:12 p.m. (local time), Myanmar Vice President U Nyan Tun, Energy Ministers U Than Htay and U Zeya Aung, Chinese Ambassador to Myanmar Yang Houlan and a South Korean representative jointly started up the commissioning button.